Construction on Missouri’s largest investor-owned utility solar facility—the O’Fallon Renewable Energy Center—has begun with the ceremonial installation of the first solar panel.

“The solar energy center we are starting to build in O’Fallon today represents the kind of cleaner energy resource many of our customers have asked us to build to provide them with energy, and we are proud to be taking this historic step to do just that,” said Michael Moehn, chairman, president and CEO of Ameren Missouri. “We are working to diversify our mix of generation sources and transition to cleaner and renewable energy sources. Building this solar facility is a critical part of this goal.”

In a ceremonial groundbreaking event at the construction site in O’Fallon, MO, dozens of key state leaders joined Ameren executives and special guest speakers including O’Fallon Mayor Bill Hennessy; Missouri Public Service Commission Chairman Robert S. Kenney; and Llona Weiss, Director of the Missouri Division of Energy.

The plan calls for 19,000 solar panels spanning an area approximately the size of 19 football fields. The solar facility is scheduled to begin delivering electricity to customers by the end of 2014.

The solar energy center is the latest milestone in a history of renewable energy investment that reaches back more than 100 years. In 1913, the company’s first hydroelectric energy center opened. In 2012, the company opened the Maryland Heights Renewable Energy Center, one of the largest plants in the nation turning landfill gas into energy, or “methane to megawatts.”

“Since 2009, Missouri has made great strides in renewable energy production, due in large part to Governor Nixon’s commitment to clean, affordable and abundant energy,” saidLlona Weiss, Deputy Director for Administration in the Missouri Department of Economic Development’s Division of Energy. “It is projects like this that help make our state the premier location for renewable energy generation and manufacturing.”

“This is an exciting new chapter in Missouri’s energy history,” Moehn said. “The O’Fallon Renewable Energy Center is the first of several solar facilities Ameren Missouri plans to build in years to come. We’re helping to drive the economy and create jobs in addition to serving our customers’ needs into the future.”

Suggested Links:

You Might Like:

Top Utilities: Power Players For DevelopmentSize counts, but when it comes to making our picks for forward-thinking utilities, so do smart grids, renewable energy and a seat at the table when economic development deals are negotiated.

Ohio consistently ranks as one of the top U.S. destinations for new corporate facilities, meaning prime sites are quickly snapped up. Economic development officials and private developers are working cooperatively to ensure the pipeline of immediately-developable sites stays full with diverse location opportunities.

The tactical elements of physical security programs often get the most attention, at the expense of strategic factors. - Read: The Invisible Failure Of Facility Security Programs at FacilityExecutive.com.

Ecotrak makes it safer and easier to monitor radon gas in soil, providing quick and reliable information after one to seven days of observation. - Read: Ecotrak Monitors Radon Gas in Soil at FacilityExecutive.com.

Location Spotlights

E-News Signup

Join 20,000+ Subscribers & Get the latest from Business Facilities!

Business Facilities highlights area economic development and site selection news from around the world. Economic development creates opportunities to grow state, local and metro areas, which are essential for economic growth, improved quality of life and community development.

Business Facilities is a leading full-service media brand specializing in the site selection marketplace. Through a bi-monthly magazine, e-mail newsletters, a news portal, and its LiveXchange event, Business Facilities has created a dynamic community for C-level executives and economic development organizations.